Preventative Services
Three are three main types of cleanings you may receive at our office.
The service you receive is based on the health of your gums. The differences
have been explained below.
Prophylaxis in Greek this means to prevent or guard beforehand. This is
a cleaning you may receive if you do not have periodontal disease. The
dental hygienist will remove plaque and calculus (tartar) from the teeth
which helps to prevent gum disease and promote healthy gums. This procedure
is usually performed every 4-6 months.
Scaling and Root Planning (Initial Deep Cleaning) this cleaning is a cleaning
you may receive if you are diagnosed with gum disease (periodontal disease).
Periodontal disease causes your gums to have deep pockets (greater than 4mm)
around your teeth. These deep pockets will collect food and debris, which helps
harbor harmful bacteria. The bacteria will cause the pockets to become even
deeper and a vicious cycle begins. With this cleaning the hygienist will remove
the plaque and calculus (tartar) from the teeth. Given that the hygienist will
have to clean deep into these pockets, more time and skill is needed. The roots
of the teeth which can become rough are smoothed to prevent bacteria from
accumulating, thus preventing further disease. An ultrasonic instrument is
usually needed to aid in the removal of calculus (tartar). This procedure is
usually performed in quadrants (1/4 of the mouth) at a time.
This is a cleaning you may receive if you currently have or have a history of
periodontal disease and you have already had Scaling and Root Planning
performed. This is done in place of a prophylaxis cleaning because the goal is
to maintain healthy gums after gum disease and extra skill and effort is needed
to clean around teeth with deeper pockets. This is cleaning usually performed
every 4-6 months.
*Note: these procedures have a difference in cost with Scaling and Root
Planning being more expensive than a Prophylaxis
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